Once Upon a Red Snow
by whenagirldatesagirl
Summary: Snow finds herself once again without her Charming thanks to the evil Queen but she's far from alone...Red makes a promise to forever be by the side of her best friend, Snow White...However, things get a little complicated when you realize what you feel for your bestie is more than you asked for especially when you agreed to help find her "true love."
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: The Journey

The Enchanted Forest, Snow White POV

Once Upon a Time…in a storybook that follows no other, where anything is possible, Snow White yet again found herself running through the gloomy woods away from the Queen's knights ordered to kill her.

How did I end up here again? Sure, she's been separated from Prince Charming again and her plan to rescue him hadn't been clearly thought out, her blunt feelings were far too rash that she couldn't help going right after him as they have done for each other for who knows how long now. But she couldn't help but wonder, as the dirt is kicked up from under her bolting feet, how many more miles she will have to run in her life towards that forever fleeting happiness.

Snow White brings herself to a sudden halt as her hand slides across an oak tree that is unusually rough and ragged, she spun towards the upset bark to take in four quite large claw marks through disbelieving eyes. As she traces the outlines, Snow can't help but think about the kind of creature that could make a cut quite as fierce. Her thoughts are interrupted by a nearby rustling drawing her back to her reality and resuming her escape.

Over the fallen tree, a left at the towering boulders, under the overhanging vines, across the sparkling lake, and then up the hill to the cottage resting on top. Snow knew where she was going, she wasn't stupid after all and she knew how to take care of herself. It was a promise that she planned to keep unbroken…until an arrow shot clean past her head having her thoughts yet again interrupted.

Snow White rolls out of the way of one of the Queen's guards lunging forward at her and unsheathes a dagger from her boot. Two more heavily armored men come charging towards her, to the first Snow twirls to the side and extends a kick back into his side taking him down as he barrels past, to the second Snow plunges her dagger into his abdomen and back out as she pushes him back. Yes, of course she can fight, all her life she's been running from the evil Queen and it's made her quite the independent scrapper.

"You little—" says the first guard from behind Snow as he lifts his sword to strike, she whips around in a small attempt to protect herself only to be interrupted by a gigantic blur of black fur and a growl so ferocious.

The big, black wolf pinned down the unsuspecting guard and began tearing him to shreds. Snow, shaking her head, turned the other direction placed her dagger back into its sheath in her boot and walked the rest of the way up the hill to the cottage, leaning up against the little porch. A few moments later a girl in her twenties with long, dark hair and a red cloak draped over her shoulders appears from around the tree line, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. Red Riding Hood. Even as a wolf, Snow had to admit, Red was graceful with every little shift of lean muscle as she moved and beautiful with the way the moonlight glistened off of her dark hair and eyes.

"You know, I could have handled it myself," Snow called down the hill at the approaching girl with her arms across her chest.

The girl in the red cloak threw up her arms, chuckled and replied, "Yeah, you say that now but two seconds ago…that's a whole different story, Princess."

"Whatever you say, Red." Red takes a seat on the porch next to where Snow leans against the post. Snow White looks over at Red Riding Hood who merely makes a motion for her to take a seat next to her with a look and a nod. She sighs and sits next to the blood red cloaked girl adjusting her own pure white cloak.

"So where's Charming? I thought you were off to get him—what is it that you two always say? 'I will always find you,'" Red mocks Snow, smiling and nudging her shoulder.

"It didn't exactly go as planned…it was a set up. The Queen knew that I'd come for him and she tricked me, now I'm back to square one left wheeling without any clue of which direction to go or what I can do to get back my Prince. I know that we always promise to find each other but I am so tired of being alone." Snow White drops her head into her hands with tears filling her eyes.

Red wrapped her arms around her friend, pulling Snow into her embrace to make an attempt at comforting her. "Hey, hey, it's okay. You're not alone, I'm here. When I found out what I was people told me that I needed to choose between being wolf and being human…but you, you accepted me as I am. You were there for me and I'm going to be there for you. Snowy, I will do whatever it takes, I'm going to help you. We will get your boy back and I will be by your side whether you need it or not."

"I could never ask that of you." Snow White looks up at Red with a bit of shock and love upon her face.

"You don't have to, I'm doing it. I've always been yours, Snow." Red's smile stretches back, wide enough of a grin to show her canines.

Snow White returns a warming smirk and wraps her arms around Red's neck to pull her into an affectionate embrace. After they finally break apart, Snow gets to her feet and flattens out her rumpled cloak, extending a hand to Red.

"Together?" Snow asks raising an eyebrow in question at Red who remains seated, looking up at her with that same wide grin.

"Forever and then some, Princess." Red answers by taking her hand and rising to her own feet. With her other hand, Red puts up the hood to her cloak and keeps her other hand with Snow's, their fingers entangled together. "Where to first?"

Snow White starts moving down the hill towards the dusky path with Red Riding Hood following at her side. "I think that's the point of an adventure, Red, you never exactly know where you're going but who you're going with," Snow squeezes Red's hand giving her a reassuring smile as they step over a collection of mossy rocks.

Suddenly, there's a cracking noise of someone or something stepping on a branch nearby. Snow is taken by surprise as someone masked by a green hood jumps down from a tree close by landing behind her and pins her arms behind her back, dragging her away from Red.

Red bares her teeth, readies herself to attack and growls, "Whoever you are, I'll give you one chance…let her go and maybe, just maybe, I won't rip your beating heart clean out of your chest."

"Why are you doing this?" Snow White implores, concern and confusion written all over your face. Twice, the Queen must really be outdoing herself tonight…

"I've been ordered to," says the hooded man with a thick accent, "I don't exactly have a choice."

"Then before you kill me," Red growls interrupting her, her eyes beginning to turn a shade of yellow indicating her wolf making a presence in this unexpected standoff but Snow shoots the wolf girl a warning look," At least let me know who you are."

The hooded man thinks for a moment then releases Snow White who flew back to the side of a still fuming Red, moving his hands to his green hood removing it in one fluid motion. He had short curly brown hair, a short beard, and brown eyes with a bow strapped to his back and pelts worn as his ware. Snow nor Red recognized him.

"Who are you?" Growled an irritated and impatient Red as she protectively takes a step in front of Snow.

"Fellow kin, I will not harm you, I cannot harm those of my kind. As for who I am, I left that behind long ago to live with wolves. People call me, "Weak" or "Petty" whether for crying over my prey for their sacrifice or because that's what they think I really am. However, I am employed by the Queen. I am the Huntsman. And I have been sent to hunt you, Snow White."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Struggle May Meet The End

The Enchanted Forest, Red Riding Hood POV

She couldn't exactly pinpoint the specific moment that she fell in love with Snow White, it was just something she knew. I mean, who hasn't fallen for that beautiful and above all kind woman who has survived despite the hateful target painted on her back. And it made sense…they made sense. What Red couldn't bring herself to understand was how her feelings have never faltered even when her best friend first told her about Charming.

* * *

"You'll never guess what happened to me today." Snow pushes a branch out of her way and holds it back until Red walks ahead.

"I probably couldn't…but I know that you're going to tell me anyway," Red jests at Snow, more than happy to hear what in this enchanted land was making her companion all giddy.

"I think that I met a Prince…I mean, I met a Prince—not exactly met but robbed…" Red gives Snow a look of utter shock and disbelief which helped Snow find the motivation to keep speaking to explain herself better, "You know what my plan was, steal from one of the Queen's carriages just as I've done before…but this time I made a mistake and it turned out to belong to a travelling Prince, a Charming Prince…"

Red all at once stopped in her tracks, frozen with fear as Snow continues walking the path, _She met a Prince…a CHARMING Prince? What does this mean? Why would she stay with me? This is what any girl would be waiting for._ Red mutters half-heartily, "So why aren't you with him now if he's so perfect and fair? I'm hardly any company…"

Snow White isn't just any girl, at Red's words she whips around with shock and a hint of hurt glistening in her eyes, "You think that low of me as a friend, Red? I would never turn my back on you. Not for some Prince or some silly wish or dream, I will be by your side through it all."

Shaking her head in disbelief and fiddling with her cloak, "I would leave me if I found my far away forever, I'm no more than a shady mutt—"

"You. Are. Not. And don't you _ever_ think such a thing. I am not looking for some way off future when I have someone like you. You are my dearest friend, you are compassionate, you are clever, and you are charming even though you may not be a Prince. Just because you're part wolf, part human doesn't make you any less of either, it makes you all the more to love…" Snow White takes Red's hand in hers giving it a gentle squeeze, "You know that I love you, right?"

Red's breath catches in her throat and a blush as red as her cloak appears upon her cheeks, with a nod she answers with, "And I you."

* * *

Red remembers that day that Snow told her of Prince Charming all too well, she still feels that same pinch in her heart. She felt foolish for longing for her fair friend's affection, how could she ever compete with a pure and handsome Prince when she was just a fierce and overprotective wolf? Red Riding Hood knew this was a happily ever after that she had no chance at somehow miraculously capturing. However, that was never going to stop her from giving up on Snow White and ensuring that she got her happy ending.

"I don't want to hurt you—"began the Huntsman before getting cut off by a snarl from the wolf girl in the red cloak.

"Great, so put your weapon down so I can tear you into tiny, insignificant pieces and we can get on our way." Red lifts her hands to the clasp of her restrictive cloak in order to pull it off but is stopped by a set of soft, pale hands with a touch so gentle she'd be able to recognize it anywhere.

Snow takes a step in front of her defender, her hands grasping Red's, "Let him speak."

Red refuses to look at Snow but instead allows herself to stare at the set of hands on her own and gives a slight nod with a still unforgiving look on her face. A single insipid hand is removed from its place and is used to tilt Red's chin up so that she is finally looking into the eyes of Snow White. Sincerity, hope, trust, and love are few of the many emotions that Red can pick out of the forever revealing green eyes of Snow White. Red answers the unspoken question, agreeing with a slight smirk and a surer nod.

The heavy accent begins flowing again, "The Evil Queen has my heart, it is against my will to do such a thing to one as innocent as you, Snow White. She wishes to offer my heart's replacement in return for the retrieval of your pure heart. I wish that I should not have to ask nor force such a matter but the choice, the decision is not mine. Will you give me your heart?"

Snow White lifts her eyes towards the darkening sky as if actually pondering whether she will or will not give up her very heart, the thing that shined most brilliantly. Red's visage is one of disgust, _how dare he even ask her such a question_. And then her vision happens upon her beloved companion, deep in thought.

Red growls menacingly, "No. I will never let that happen. Her heart belongs to one person and one person alone, herself."

"It's either her heart or her death, I don't have a ch—" The Huntsman was trying to explain calmly before getting cut off for the last time by the wolf girl.

"Everyone has a choice, that's why I'm choosing to do this." Red removes her cloak, allowing her to shift into a wolf as the moon rises into the sky, a vicious howl ripping from it's chest. The yellow eyes full of defense, of purposeful action fell upon the Huntsman who has his bow drawn and aimed at Snow, unwavering at the sounds emitting from the wolf.

Snow White remains where she was, no trace of fear but rather concern as her eyes are constantly upon her companion rather than the Huntsman. In a soft and quite voice Snow begs, "Red, _please._ "

The yellow eyes finally fall upon the girl in the white cloak, her skin somehow paler possibly from the moonlight or maybe some hidden emotion that the girl couldn't help but wear on the surface. The yellow eyes soften and in response the snowy skinned girl smiles at her protector and comrade.

Black haired ears shoot up at a releasing sound, Snow takes a rapid breathe and closes her eyes somehow trying to ready herself for the fate that she always figured would come, she thought more so by hands much smaller and more nimble with vengeful hate towards the girl but she knew this day would come, her death would come.

However, Snow opened her eyes after not feeling the arrow penetrate her body. There were a number of sights in which she took in, in what will forever be the longest minute of her life: The first, she saw the Huntsman turn a sickly color with shock and horror upon his face, drop to his knees. The second, little droplets of red splattered upon her arms and white cloak making a contrast of conflicting colors that just melted into each other, red and white. The third, a sight which will haunt her into ever after, at the front of her boots was Red with an arrow protruding from her chest, a slight trickle of red coming from the corner of her perfectly shaped, slightly open mouth.

* * *

 **Hello dear readers, I am quite new to this so stick with me on this journey and review, keep reading and feel free to share your thoughts!**

 **This was relatively short because of the events that it contained, the next chapter will be coming along soon so don't you worry.**


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